The Confidence Found
by Deceptigal
Summary: She had to see her friends again. All she knew was that they were in New Vestroia, so that's where she wanted to go.
1. Decisions

Author's Note: This is my first Bakugan fic so go easy on me. The story is Alice-centric but there'll be a lot going on. The story takes place right after Marucho gets Elfin as his new Bakugan partner. (Although Preyas is still the best LOL) Enjoy!

The plot will be a little different from the one of the series, but it'll follow the same idea.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Alice had just recently heard that Dan, Marucho, and Shun went to New Vestroia on another adventure. At least, that's what she, Runo and Julie thought; the three just seemed to disappear. She had really wanted to go with them but she knew that Dan and the others could handle it; after all, they _did _save Earth and Vestroia before. It's just that, she really wanted to go see Hydranoid.

The Darkus brawler hadn't seen her Guardian Bakugan in very long time which was why she wanted to go to New Vestroia too. Right now, she was living with her grandfather, Michael Gehabich, formerly known as Hal-G. Alice was stuck doing most of the housework, which didn't bother her much; her grandfather was mostly in his lab doing his experiments.

"_I wish I could see them again. Especially Hydranoid…_" She thought to herself.

Sure she didn't spend much time with the Darkus Bakugan but after the brawls they've been through when Naga was trying to control everything, she had grown close to him, maybe even before that when she was acting as Masquerade. But she knew that was a past that she didn't really want to get into again.

As Alice was making dinner, her grandfather came in. He looked very eager to tell her something. Must have had another breakthrough was what she thought.

"Alice! I did it! A portal to New Vestroia!" He yelled.

Alice's eyes widened, if that was true, then she could see her friends again. The girl dropped what she was doing then followed her grandfather into his lab. There, she saw the portal; beside it were a computer monitor and a control panel. Alice approached the portal, it wasn't turned on yet though. She turned to look at her grandfather who was pressing some keys on the control panel. After a few moments, a blue circle appeared in the arch of the portal.

"Is it okay to go in?" Alice asked.

Dr. Michael kept his eyes on the monitor. "I believe so. I know it'll send you to New Vestroia but I'm not sure exactly _where_ in New Vestroia."

"That's all right. I should go tell Runo and the others! We could all go together!"

Alice was already at the door when her grandfather called her. By the look on his face, it wasn't good news.

"What is it, grandfather?" Alice asked as she approached the computer monitor.

"Well, you see, it took a lot of power to open this portal, I'm afraid that only one person can go to New Vestroia until I can get a better power source."

Alice stood still. She wanted to meet up with Dan and the others but she didn't want to leave Runo and Julie behind. And like her grandfather said, the portal would take her to a random location in New Vestroia which means she'll have to fend for herself for awhile as she looks for her friends.

"_What now?_" she thought.

Grandfather Michael placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, Alice. Take your time. You can give me your decision tomorrow. I know it's a tough choice so think about it first."

Alice looked at her grandfather then smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you, grandfather." she said.

Dr. Michael placed his hand back at his side then went back to look at the monitor. "Now, don't you have dinner to make?"

Alice chuckled. "Oh yeah! I'll get started right away." The Darkus brawler then left the lab to get started on dinner.

* * *

Once they were done eating, Alice cleared the table then washed the dishes while Dr. Michael went back to his lab. Alice didn't mind though, she knew how hardworking her grandfather was. Once Alice was done with everything in the kitchen, she took a quick shower then got ready for bed. It was getting late and there was nothing else to do anyway.

As she lay down on her bed, she still thought about what she should do about the portal to New Vestroia. An adventure sounds very pleasing to her, not to mention that she could see Hydranoid again. But on the other hand, she didn't want to leave her friends alone and she was still scared to fend for herself in a strange land.

The Darkus brawler sighed. "This is too hard. Maybe a good night's sleep will help. Yeah, it could help clear my head." with that, Alice closed her eyes and soon drifted to sleep.

* * *

_A grassy field._

_That's what she saw; it was the same one where Masquerade had first given her Hydranoid. Only this time, Masquerade was nowhere to be found. She looked around for anything while keeping her hair neat since the winds were very strong._

_"Alice." a voice called out._

_"Alice." said a second voice._

_"Alice." said a third voice._

_All three voices were very familiar to Alice. She smiled because she knew exactly who owns ALL of those voices._

_"Hydranoid?" she called out._

_Soon enough, Hydranoid appeared right in front of her, floating in mid-air. Alice didn't hesitate to cup him in her hands._

_"I miss you so much, Hydranoid!" she was on the verge of tears._

_"I miss you too, Alice. I want to see you again."_

_"Same here, but… I don't know if I can go to New Vestroia alone." the Darkus brawler frowned._

_"I know you can do it. You took on Naga and his bakugan, didn't you? Then you can travel to New Vestroia."_

_"I don't know, Hydranoid. I don't think I could handle another brawl."_

_"Alice, you can do this! You are a Bakugan Brawler, aren't you?"_

_Hydranoid was right. A brawler is supposed to be brave. She was supposed to look out for all Bakugan. Her decision was clear._

_Alice, no longer frowning, looked at Hydranoid then nodded her head. "You're right, Hydranoid. I am a Bakugan Brawler. I can handle going to New Vestroia myself."_

_"That's it, Alice! I trust you. You're my partner."_

Alice woke up.

She looked at the clock and it was 8 in the morning. She put on her yellow dress with a violet jacket over it then, as soon as she finished eating her breakfast, she headed to her grandfather's lab with renewed confidence.

Dr. Michael turned around to see his granddaughter approaching the portal. Alice glanced at the temporarily de-activated portal, and then turned to look at her grandfather.

"I have my decision. I'm going to New Vestroia myself." she confidently said.

Dr. Michael smiled at his granddaughter, he hasn't seen her so self-assured before. He nodded his head at her then typed something on the keyboard which activated the portal. Alice stared at it once more; and this time, she wasn't scared of going alone. And she was going to New Vestoia as herself, not as Masquerade.

Before she stepped in, she looked at her grandfather one more time. "Tell Runo and the others that I'm sorry."

"I will. Be careful, Alice."

"Don't worry. I'm a Bakugan Brawler after all." And with that, she stepped into the portal.

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, Hydranoid's my favorite Bakugan. Don't worry, there's more to come. Until the next chap!


	2. So Many Questions

Author's Note: A LOT of inspiration for this fic right now. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Everything went bright. It scared her at first but when she finally arrived in New Vestroia, she was ok. It was already dark out and Alice was starting to feel cold. It didn't occur to her until that very moment that when dark came, she had to camp out somewhere safe.

"I can't give up now. I just came. Maybe I can find some Bakugan to help me out."

Alice started walking into a nearby forest. She expected to see some very huge and hopefully friendly Bakugan but there were none. But she could still hear voices.

As she continued walking, she stepped on something.

"Hey!" a voice said.

Alice jumped. She looked around for the owner of the voice but she found no one.

"Down here!" the voice said.

Alice did what she was told. To her amazement, it was a bakugan… in ball form.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be free to roam around in your normal form?" Alice asked.

The Ventus bakugan laughed. "Are you kiddin'? You know, for a Vestal, you haven't been informed of what's happening."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "A Vestal?"

"You seriously don't have any idea what's going on?"

Alice shook her head. "I'm from Earth, I'm one of the Bakugan Brawlers."

"Earth? Bakugan Brawlers? Then, you must be here to save us!"

This also took Alice by surprise; she couldn't believe that the Bakugan were in trouble again, after what they've already been through.

"Please, you must tell me what happened! I can help."

"I wish I could, Brawler but I must be going. You never know when a Vestal will show up. All I can say now is that they're holding the five legendary warrior Bakugan up in a tower. Good luck!" The Bakugan rolled away.

Alice called for it but it never did. Once again, she was alone in a strange land. Even stranger that something bad was going on and she didn't even know what it was. Wait, five warrior Bakugan? Could he be talking about Hydranoid and the others? But he only mentioned five, which meant that one of them didn't get captured. She knew it had to be Drago since he had the power of the Perfect Core.

It was getting clearer now as to why Dan was sent here, Drago must have asked him to come and save New Vestroia. How Marucho and Shun came was still a mystery to her. The Darkus brawler reminded herself to ask them when she'd see them. And what exactly is a "Vestal"? Maybe they're the ones who captured Hydranoid and the other Bakugan.

This made Alice angry. There were so many questions unanswered; but she told herself to calm down. She'd find the answers sooner or later. Right now, she had to keep moving. She wasn't tired yet so she'd only waste time if she'd camp out just after she arrived.

Alice tried looking for some more Bakugan to give her the answers he needed but whenever she'd approach one, they'd just roll away. The Ventus Bakugan she encountered awhile ago thought that she was a Vestal, maybe they treated Bakugan cruelly, and when it said that a Vestal might come at any moment made her even surer that they were the enemy.

"_He also said that the five Bakugan were held in a tower…_" she thought. "_Dan and the others must be heading to that tower. In that case, that's where I should be going to._"

Once Alice was out of the forest and was now in a barren land, she spotted a building in the distance. The Darkus Brawler thought that was a good place to start. She just didn't know how long it would take her to get there.

"_No turning back now. Hold on Hydranoid. I'm coming._"

Alice only took a few steps when she heard a noise not too far from where she was. In the distance, she saw an explosion. That could mean that there was brawl going on. The Darkus brawler quickened her pace; maybe it was Dan, or maybe it was a Vestal, either way, it was already on the way to the palace.

As Alice got closer, she saw a huge figure. It looked like a Dragon.

"That's not Drago. I haven't seen that Bakugan before…" This made Alice even more curious.

She tried to look for who exactly the unknown Bakugan was attacking but she didn't find any opponent. The Bakugan must have been training. The Darkus Brawler was even closer now; the figure got even taller, the Bakugan had intimidating look.

Then, she saw who was with the Bakugan. The person was wearing a red coat. It looked like something a boy band would wear. He had spiky blond hair; he was looking very serious at his Bakugan.

Alice was now only meters away. She expected the Brawler to turn around and look at her but he continued to concentrate on his Bakugan. Alice decided to approach him.

She tapped him on the shoulder. The Brawler with a red coat swiftly turned around. His Bakugan stopped firing and looked at Alice as well.

When he faced Alice, she was able to see his face, well most of it anyway. The one thing that got Alice's attention was that he was wearing a mask. A masked brawler; like someone Alice knew all too well. She shook that thought away when the masked brawler approached her.

"And who exactly are you?" he said in a tone that only suggested that he was annoyed that someone had interrupted their training session.

This did not scare Alice, however. "My name is Alice Gehabich. I'm from Earth. Who are you?"

The masked brawler smirked. "Well hello there, Alice. My name is Spectra Phantom, and this is my partner, Pyrus Helios."

"Greetings." Helios said in a voice that sent chills through Alice's spine. Those two were meant to be partners, was what Alice thought.

Spectra turned to look at his Bakugan. "That's enough for now, Helios. We need to help our friend here find her way home."

Helios snarled but agreed anyway. The Bakugan returned to ball form then landed in Spectra's hand. The Pyrus Brawler placed Helios on his shoulder before he looked at Alice again.

"Now then, care to tell me how you arrived in New Vestroia?"

* * *

Author's Note: Yep, cliff-hanger. But chapter 3 will be up soon. Until then!


	3. Tricks

Author's Note: So many ideas for this story which is why I'm updating right away.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Alice told him about the portal from Earth; about how her grandfather was able to send her to New Vestroia. She also explained why she came alone without anybody else.

"Why are you here?" Spectra asked. He seemed so serious.

"I came here looking for my friends. Maybe you've seen them? One of them is Dan Kuso."

Spectra knew them all too well. He'll never forget when he first brawled with Dan and his partner Drago. The power they had was so great. The Pyrus brawler heard Helios snarl; it must have meant that Helios remembered the brawl as well.

Spectra snapped out of his thoughts and focused on the girl in front of him. "Yes, I know him. Last I heard, he's on his way to Alpha City."

"Could you tell me where that place is? I want to go before I run into any Vestals. A Bakugan told me earlier that they're dangerous."

Spectra smirked. Alice didn't seem to know anything about the current state of New Vestroia. Also, she was an ally of the resistance, he could use her.

"Yes, I've heard of the Vestal too; and the Vexos, the top brawlers of the Vestal."

"I guess I should stay away from the too. But right now, I need to find my friends. Please, where is Alpha City?"

Spectra placed a hand on Alice's shoulder. "It is far from here, it would take days to reach the city; even harder since it is a Vestal City. I have an airship, I could take you there myself."

Alice smiled so wide. "Really? It's no trouble?"

Spectra shook his head. "No trouble at all. To be honest, I need to see Dan as well. We've met before, you see."

"Thank you very much Spectra. It means a lot to me."

Spectra smiled at her. "Well we should be going. Hang on to me, Alice."

The Darkus brawler does what she is told and she held on to his arm. They teleported and moments later, they arrived in another environment. Alice along with Spectra were in the center of a room; on one of the walls, there was a huge picture of a Bakugan. It was a picture of Helios.

Alice let go of Spectra and was now examining her surroundings more. There was a huge window to the side and she could see the dark sky, which led her to her next conclusion, they were flying above New Vestroia now.

"Well, here we are. We will be in Alpha City in no time." Spectra said.

His voice snapped Alice out of her thoughts. The Darkus Brawler faced the Pyrus Brawler. "Thanks again. I was starting to think that 'd never find Dan and the others."

Spectra nodded his head. "Would you like me to show you to your room? It's not much since it's just a spare room."

"I'm not that tired yet. I'd rather much stay in here, the view is breathtaking." Alice said.

"Very well then, I'll just tell my comrades about your presence."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "There are others here?"

"Yes, I travel with them around New Vestroia. Like Dan, we are here to protect the Bakugan from the Vexos."

Alice smiled. "I'm glad I found you then. I don't know what would happen if the Vexos had found me first."

Spectra turned to the door. "I'll be going now, Alice. Don't wander away from this room."

With that, the Pyrus Brawler left Alice alone in the room.

Alice looked at the view once more. Before she arrived in New Vestroia, she expected to see all Bakugan roaming around, but now, she didn't see anything but the barren lands and forests; but she knew there were Bakugan around, just not in their normal forms.

The Darkus brawler sighed. She was getting closer to seeing her friends again. They must be on their way to the tower to save the Bakugan and she wanted to go with them.

"_I'm on my way, guys._"

* * *

Spectra was on his way to the control room of the Airship. He was walking down a hallway when Helios spoke.

"Why did you allow that girl to come with us? We could have just left her. Besides, she is with Drago and that partner of his." Helios snarled when he mentioned Drago's name. Losing a battle was just not something he is used to.

"That's exactly my reason, Helios. We can use her to have an advantage over the Resistance. We can lure Dan and Drago to us and we can have our revenge." Spectra said with a smirk on his face.

"If that's the reason then I have no complaints. I just hope that the others won't blow our secret."

"They won't. If it's to help that spoiled Prince Hydron get what he wants, they'll play along."

They were at the door leading to the control room when their conversation ended. When Spectra entered, all of the Vexos were there; Mylene, Shadow Prove, Lync, Volt, and the ever loyal Gus.

Gus was the first to greet Spectra as he was the one who bowed in front of the Vexos leader. "Welcome back, Master Spectra."

"Back so soon? What happened? You lose to Dan again?" Shadow Prove asked then let out a loud laugh.

Spectra maintained a serious expression. "That's a lot of talk coming from someone who lost to Baron, a rookie brawler."

That shut Shadow Prove up.

When everyone was quiet, Spectra approached all of them and spoke. "I have brought a guest to our airship. And I need your cooperation."

"You let a complete stranger into the airship? What if the Prince finds out?"Mylene said, furious.

"Oh, he wouldn't mind, seeing as this person is a friend of Dan Kuso."

The Vexos were all listening intently now.

"Not only that, but she has no clue that we are Vexos. She is only aware that the Vestal have taken over New Vestroia and that the Resistance is helping the Bakugan."

Lync smiled. "So you told her that we're not Vexos and that we're helping out the Resistance, am I right?" the Ventus brawler said.

"Exactly, Lync. So, I need all of you to pretend that we're not Vexos. And if a situation arises when we face the brawlers once more, you'll all need to think of a cover if she'll expect something." Spectra then turned to look at Volt.

"I need you to tell Prince Hydron of our situation so when he contacts us, he'll know what to say if the girl is around." The Haos Brawler nodded his head.

"Is everything clear?" Spectra asked.

"Wait a sec, what's this girl's name?" Shadow Prove asked.

"Her name is Alice Gehabich. Now if you'll excuse me, I will bring Alice here and I expect all of you to play along and don't make it too obvious." The Vexos leader then left to go get Alice.

"Isn't Alice Gehabich one of the Bakugan Brawlers who saved Vestroia? The Darkus Brawler?" Lync asked.

"Yes, but without her Bakugan I doubt she could be any trouble. Besides, she wouldn't even have a gauntlet so there's nothing to worry about. Volt, go contact Prince Hydron now before Spectra arrives with the girl." Mylene said.

"Yeah, yeah; I already heard Spectra, no need to tell me twice." The Haos brawler then went to the computer monitor to contact the prince.

Alice was now staring at the picture of Helios when Spectra arrived. Alice looked away from the picture and instead faced Spectra who was now approaching her.

"I see you like this picture." Spectra said.

"Yes, it looks much like your partner, Helios." Alice said.

"It captures my... intimidating presence." Helios said.

Alice giggled. "You don't need a picture to show people how intimidating you look; you do fine by yourself. You scared me when I saw you training."

Spectra smirked. "One of the few things that makes Helios a very powerful Bakugan. Anyway, Alice, it's getting late. Perhaps I should show you to your room now."

Alice nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm getting pretty exhausted."

Spectra then escorted Alice to her room. It wasn't much, but it had a bed and a dresser inside; there was also a bathroom.

Alice went inside the room while Spectra was at the door. "Tomorrow, we'll be arriving in Alpha City and I shall introduce you to my comrades." Spectra said.

"Ok, good night, Spectra; good night Helios." Alice said.

"The same goes to you, Alice." Then the Vexos leader closed the door.

Alice sighed and plopped onto the bed. She thought about her friends, about her new friends, like Spectra and Helios, and then she remembered the picture she saw. It reminded her of Hydranoid. She remembered how intimidating he also looks and how much she misses him.

"I hope you're all right, Hydranoid. I'll be there soon." With that, Alice drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Author's Note: Don't forget to review. There's still more chapters to go!


	4. Meeting the Vexos

Author's Note: It's been a while but I'm back with a new chap! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Alice woke up to the sound of footsteps outside her room. She looked out of her window and saw that it was already morning. The Darkus Brawler stretched her arms for a few moments then she got out of bed. Of course, she checked herself in the mirror first; no way was she going out with bed head hair.

As she exited her room, she looked around but she didn't find anyone. So she decided to head for the place where Spectra first brought her. She thought it was the perfect place to see the Pyrus brawler or any of his comrades which she has yet to meet.

Alice continued to walk down the hallway when she saw Spectra heading her way. It must have been his footsteps she heard. The Darkus brawler smiled.

"Hey, Spectra." she said.

"Good morning, Alice. Actually I was just about to wake you but you're already up."

"I just can't wait to see my friends again and of course to meet your comrades too."

Spectra nodded. "Well then I'll take you to them. They're all in the control room. We haven't reached Alpha City yet though."

"Lead the way, Spectra."

The Vexos leader nodded his head and showed her the way to the control room. So far, she hadn't suspected anything yet. He knew that this act had to go on for a little while longer; just until they face the Resistance once more.

"How are your friends like, Spectra?" Alice asked.

This snapped him out of his thoughts. "Oh, they're… an interesting bunch. Just be patient with them. They're not exactly the kind who are easy to get along with."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Spectra didn't feel that there was a need to answer for they were right in front of the door to the control room now.

"Find out for yourself." The doors then opened.

Alice saw five different faces. They had some… _unique _outfits. All eyes were on her now. Spectra brought her to the center of the room. All the others gathered around her. So far, no one was speaking. She felt a little awkward now.

Luckily, Spectra saw this and decided to start things off. "Alice, I'd like you to meet my comrades. Mylene, Volt, Lync, Shadow Prove, and Gus." Spectra said their names while pointing at them respectively as he did so.

Alice smiled. "Hello, nice to meet you all."

Shadow Prove was the first to speak. "Hey there! Heard you were a Darkus Brawler, something we have in common!" Shadow Prove was about to hug her but Lync got in his way. The Ventus Vexos stared at Alice.

"Hey, you're really pretty."

Alice giggled. "Why thank you, Lync."

"You know my name!" Lync yelled.

"Spectra just told her your name idiot." Mylene said, anger in her voice. But even though she was annoyed, she showed her best smile and shook hands with the guest.

"Welcome to our airship, Alice. I hope you find everything all right here."

"Everything's been great, thank you."

The next one to greet her was Volt. "Hi." The Haos brawler saw no point in really getting to know her; she was an enemy after all. Alice merely nodded her head at him then it was Gus' turn to say hello. To her surprise, the Subterra brawler bowed right in front of her.

"Hello, Miss Gehabich. Any friend of Master Spectra is considered an ally."

Alice blinked a few times before answering. "Oh, thanks Gus."

When everyone was done introducing themselves, Spectra went in front of Alice and faced the rest of the Vexos.

"Now that that's done, let's move on. Has Prince Hydron contacted us, yet?" Spectra turned to Volt who simply shook his head.

Alice faced Spectra. "Who's Prince Hydron?"

"You can say that he's the leader of our group, he provides us with information on where the Bakugan need us the most." The Vexos leader explained.

And as if on cue, a screen flashed in front of them which showed the Vestal Prince himself. He twirled his hair before speaking; he also noticed the girl amongst the Vexos. Fortunately, Volt had told him about the current situation.

"I'm aware that you have a guest with you."

Alice stepped forward. "Hello your majesty."

Hydron smirked. "So she knows of my status, very good. Anyway, enough with the greetings, are you in Alpha City yet?"

"Nearly there your highness. When we arrive, we'll make sure to locate Dan Kuso."

Prince Hydron shook his head. "There is no need for that, Spectra."

The Vexos leader's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Why, they are no longer in Alpha City. They are heading somewhere else."

Alice went in front of Spectra. "Where are they?"

Prince Hydron did not answer immediately though. "Alice, if you don't mind, I must speak with my comrades in private. I will tell you of their location later."

Alice hesitated but agreed anyway. She headed for the door but she then felt someone grip her shoulder. The Darkus brawler turned around and saw Spectra.

"Don't worry, Alice. I'll tell you everything that happened; in the meantime, take Helios with you. He'll show you the way to the main room, the one with the view you like." Helios then landed on Alice's shoulder right after Spectra released his grip.

With a weak smile, Alice nodded then left the control room.

Spectra turned towards the screen where Prince Hydron was still waiting. The Vexos leader was angry but still managed to maintain a straight face.

"Where exactly are the brawlers?"

The Prince smirked once more. "They're still in Alpha City, of course."

"Then why did you tell her that?"

"Don't you see, Spectra? We have a brawler with us who can do nothing, no bakugan; no gauntlet. If she were to see the Resistance, she'd surely side with them; which is why she is much too valuable to let go._ IF _the Resistance is to come close to freeing the Bakugan and my statues, that is when we shall use her as leverage; by then, we will have no further use for her."

Spectra just got even angrier. Alice was supposed to bring Dan and Drago out in the open for a brawl. But of course, the prince had other ideas. As much as he despised the idea, he had to go along with it… for now anyway.

The Vexos leader nodded his head. "Of course, your highness; what about the brawlers in Alpha City? What do we do about that?"

Prince Hydron twirled his hair once more. "I need only Volt and Lync for this operation. They will be sent as the champions of the ongoing tournament as not to alarm the Vestals there. Don't disappoint me again." With that, the screen disappeared.

"Yeah! Time for some payback!" Lync yelled.

Volt grunted. "Let's go squirt. We don't wanna get the prince's hair _too _tangled up." Since they were right above the city now, the two teleported.

When the two left, Mylene approached Spectra. "Look, I know you want some payback yourself but you can't blame the prince, as annoying as the brat is, he's right. We can handle the brawlers so far, we just need to wait for the right moment"

Spectra didn't mind her. Instead, he headed for the door and left.

Shadow Prove laughed. "Man, someone needs anger management."

Alice was looking out of the window once more, but this time, she wasn't alone. She had someone to talk to now.

"Have you met Drago yet, Helios?"

That name.

It took a lot for Helios not to go on a rage. But he knew how to be patient, something he learned from his partner.

"Why yes. He is a talented Bakugan; an opponent worthy of facing."

Alice giggled. "I can tell you've faced him before and you wanna brawl again."

Helios looked at the Darkus brawler. "You can? How?"

Alice smiled. "I didn't come here just looking for Dan and the other brawlers. The real reason is because I want to see Hydranoid again. He used to face Drago as well. I could tell even though they were on the same team, sometimes he just needed to prove that he was stronger than Drago. I miss him, Helios. Maybe you've seen him?" Alice looked seriously at the Pyrus Bakugan now.

Helios didn't know what to say at first. What _could _he say? _Oh I've seen him. He's been turned into a statue along with the other Bakugan and did I mention he's being treated like a trophy in Prince Hydron's palace?_

No, he couldn't say that.

"I know he's been turned into a statue. But have you seen him before that happened?"

"…No, I'm sorry, Alice."

Alice continued to stare outside the window. "That's all right. I'll find him soon. It'll be easier now that I have new friends." She turned to Helios and smiled.

"I hope you find your partner, Alice." To Helios' surprise, he actually said that with sincerity even though he didn't mean for it to.

Before Alice could respond, Spectra came in.

The Vexos leader approached the two of them. When he was close enough, Helios landed on his partner's shoulder.

Spectra looked right at Alice who was focused on him as well. "There's been a change of plans, Alice."

* * *

Author's Note: I consider that a long chap! I'll try to update earlier now. Don't forget to review! Until next chap!


	5. The New Plan

Author's Note: Enjoy the next chap!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Alice stared at the Vexos leader. "What do you mean, Spectra?" she asked.

"As you've heard, the brawlers are no longer in Alpha City. We don't know what their next destination is. I'm sorry, Alice."

The Darkus brawler sighed. She was so close to seeing them again. But she wasn't going to give up; she's come so far already.

Alice smiled before responding. "It's all right. I'll see them soon. So, what do we do until then?"

"We'll have to remain in Alpha City since there are Bakugan here that need our help. Lync and Volt are already within the city. We shall stay in the airship and leave Alpha City when they return."

The Darkus brawler had no choice. She had to go on with this new plan; she couldn't do it alone so she had to stay with Spectra and his comrades a little longer. Then Alice remembered something; a tower, Hydranoid was locked in a tower, she hadn't mentioned this to Spectra yet.

Alice focused on the Pyrus brawler once more. "Spectra, do you know about the six warrior bakugan being held in a tower?"

"Of course, that place is like a fortress."

"Is it in Alpha City? I need to my partner and the other Bakugan!"

Spectra hesitated before answering. "It's not in this city. It's a long way from here, actually."

"Could you take me there, then?"

"Like I said Alice, that place is like a fortress. It's dangerous to go on your own."

Alice frowned. "But I came here to free Hydranoid. He's my partner and I'm not going to leave him alone."

Spectra's anger rose. "What do you propose we do then? We just can't go charging in with no plan! You don't even have a gauntlet let alone a bakugan."

Alice didn't say anything else. Spectra was right, it was useless to go on her own, with no gauntlet, no bakugan, and she was still afraid of brawling. There was nothing more she could do; right now, she just had to keep looking for her friends. She knew that they'd help her out.

Spectra calmed down. He didn't mean to get mad at her; it was just a stressful day for him. He had a plan all set to go but it was ruined by the spoiled Prince Hydron. Actually, the Vexos leader also found it horrible that the six warrior bakugan were being locked up; Bakugan that powerful should be able to roam free and shouldn't be displayed as mere trophies. Trophies the prince didn't even earn for himself.

"I'm sorry for snapping like that at you, Alice." Spectra said.

Alice nodded her head. "It's all right. I shouldn't ask so much from you after all you've done for me already."

The Darkus brawler expected Spectra to say something in response but instead, he was staring at something behind Alice. The Darkus brawler could hear cheering from behind her. She turned around and saw a Ventus Bakugan flying; not in ball form but in it's regular form. Soon, there were more bakugan she saw flying away from the city.

Alice smiled. "Lync and Volt did it! They freed the bakugan that were here."

Spectra tightened his fists. "Indeed, Prince Hydron must be proud of them."

The Vexos leader knew that since they were defeated, prince Hydron would call for a meeting in the control room once more. Lync and Volt should already be on their way back to the airship. Spectra looked at Alice who was still looking at all of the bakugan who were now roaming free. There was no need for her to go to the control room now; the prince would just say things like how stupid they were for letting the resistance destroy a dimension controller.

"Alice, I need to go to the control room. I'll let Helios keep you company while I'm gone."

Alice, not looking at the Pyrus brawler, simply nodded her head. She seemed to be in her own world right now. She hasn't seen this much bakugan in a long time. She even half-expected Hydranoid to be a part of them but deep in her mind, she knew that was impossible; Spectra already said that they were far from the tower.

Helios landing on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts.

"You won't see him today, Alice." Helios said.

Alice knew that he was talking about Hydranoid. "I know, but it's still nice to see this much bakugan roaming free."

"You must really miss your partner."

Alice nodded her head. "A lot, actually."

"I'm sure he misses you too. He's lucky to have a partner like you."

Alice smiled at the Pyrus bakugan. "Thanks, Helios. You know, for a really strong and scary bakugan, you're good at cheering people up."

The Darkus brawler noticed Helios blushed just like Gorem did with Julie.

"Just don't go saying that to anyone. I have a reputation to keep."

Alice giggled. "Sure thing, Helios."

The two didn't say anything else to each other. It wasn't long though until Spectra arrived. Like before, Helios landed on his owner's shoulder. Alice turned to face the Pyrus brawler once more.

"Well, what's the plan now?" Alice asked.

"We now know that Dan Kuso is heading for Beta City. That's our next stop as well. It seems that they want to take out the dimension controllers around New Vestroia."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Dimension controllers?"

"They're machines that keep the bakugan in ball forms. Once they're destroyed, the bakugan go back to normal."

"So the Dimension Controller in Alpha City was destroyed?"

Spectra nodded his head. "Yes, the next one is in Beta City."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Spectra smirked. "The others are setting up the coordinates now. But in the meantime…"

Spectra brought out something from his coat. Alice looked at the object. She smiled since she knew exactly what it was.

"Since you're in New Vestroia, you'll need this gauntlet."

It was purple and white in color. Alice knew that it was the gauntlet for a Darkus brawler. Spectra handed it to her. Alice stared at the gauntlet in her hands then looked at the person who had given it to her.

"Are you sure?" Alice asked.

"It's not a problem. Consider it my way in welcoming you to New Vestroia."

Alice smiled. "Thanks, Spectra. You've been so kind to me ever since I got here."

* * *

Shun was staring at the outside of the window of the Resistance's van/headquarters. It was a successful day; even though he hadn't found Skyress yet, he knew he was getting close. The Ventus brawler was looking at the Bakugan up in the sky when he spotted the Vexos airship. He felt nothing but anger as he glared at the airship. He _did _feel anger but that changed when he saw who was with Spectra in the airship.

"Dan! Marucho!" He called. The two came up to Shun.

"What's up, dude?" Dan asked.

Shun simply pointed to the airship.

Dan and Marucho's eyes widened.

"It's impossible!" Marucho exclaimed.

"But how?" Dan asked.

Shun stared at their friend who was on the airship. "Why is Alice with the Vexos?"

* * *

Author's Note: And we finally get to hear from the other brawlers! Don't forget to review. Ok, until next chap!


	6. The Truth

Author's Note: Ta da! I'm back with another chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Dan, Shun, and Marucho immediately went back to the others to tell them what they saw. It took their Vestal friends a while to understand since they were talking all at once. But nonetheless, they got the message.

Mira waved her hands in front of them to shut them up. "Hold up, how did she even get here?" she asked them.

Marucho shrugged. "I don't know. But maybe it had something to do with her grandfather. Dr. Michael does know a lot about Bakugan too. Maybe he opened a portal or something."

"It doesn't matter how she got here!" Shun yelled. "All that matters is that we rescue her. I bet that the Vexos are just using her to get to us."

Dan nodded his head at his friend. "I'm with Shun on this one guys. The sooner we get Alice back, the better."

"What exactly do you plan on doing?" Ace interrupted. The Darkus brawler waited until he got everyone's attention before continuing.

"We can't exactly attack the airship from where we are now. It could be long gone by now. I say, we wait for the Vexos to show up and then we'll see what happens."

"Ace is right." Mira said. "I know how hard it is, but we still have to protect the Bakugan. Besides, we all know that Alice is a brawler; she can take care of herself. So there's really nothing to worry about."

Dan and Shun hesitated but they still managed to smile at their friends. Alice _was _a brawler, but without her bakugan, she doesn't stand a chance against the Vexos. That's what they were worried about.

"It's getting late guys. We'll rest up here and continue in the morning." Ace said and everyone agreed.

Once their conversation ended and everyone else went to their rooms, Shun was left with Dan. The Ventus brawler decided to talk to his friend.

"You really think she'll be alright?" the Shun asked.

Dan took a while before answering. "Yeah, Alice can handle herself. There's no way she's gonna let someone like Spectra hurt her. Like Mira said, she's a brawler."

"I guess. Ok then, I'm gonna turn in. See you in the morning, Dan." And with that, Dan was left alone in the command center.

Dan looked around before he called for his partner. "Drago."

The bakugan landed on his partner's shoulder. "You are still worried about Alice. I know; me too. Why did she come to New Vestroia anyway?"

Dan turned to look at the Pyrus Bakugan. "The same reason why Marucho, Shun, and I came here." The Pyrus brawler smiled. "To see our partners again. _That's_ why she came here."

After a moment of silence, Drago responded. "Dan, we should do something about this. My guess is that Spectra and Helios are using her to have another battle with us."

"I feel the same way buddy, but how do we get them to battle us again?"

Then, as if on cue, one of the Vexos' hologram things appeared in front of them. It showed a hologram of Spectra Phantom.

"Dan Kuso, you and I will brawl once more. This hornet will bring you to our battle location. If you refuse, well, I saw your "van" from the airship and I _know _that you know that one of your friends is here. If you wish for her not to be harmed, it would be wise for you to accept this challenge. Make sure you come alone."

The hologram disappeared and the hornet, as what Spectra called it, began to fly away. Dan hesitated but he followed the hornet.

* * *

Spectra brought Alice back to her room as soon as he saw the Resistance's van/headquarters. It was getting late anyway so after eating a quick meal, Alice went back to her room without any arguments. Now, Spectra was outside her room; he would need her as leverage against Dan in their brawl later. But before he took another step, he thought of how valuable she could be to the other Vexos. If he handed her to Dan now, then the other Vexos wouldn't trust him and he'd be on his own and without an airship. No, that shouldn't happen, he still needed to travel around in order to train Helios.

Before the Pyrus brawler could turn around and leave, the door opened to show a very startled Alice.

"Oh, is there something you need?" she asked.

The Vexos leader quickly thought of an excuse. "I wanted to check on you before turning in but after today, you must be exhausted so I decided not to."

"Are you going somewhere else?"

"Just to my room. It's been a long day for me as well. Helios is there now, he's tired too. I'll be going then, good night Alice."

Spectra then left.

Alice was about to enter her room but from the corner of her eye, she saw something land on Spectra's shoulder. It was Helios. Alice examined the Pyrus brawler more carefully and saw that his gauntlet was still on his arm. He was either going to train again or he was going to have a brawl. Either way, the Darkus Brawler was going to follow him.

She went back to her room to put her gauntlet on and luckily, he wasn't too far ahead of her. When Spectra had reached the door to the control room and had entered, Alice stopped; she knew these doors open automatically so she couldn't get a peek at what he was doing.

But fortunately, the Darkus Brawler heard the very familiar sound of teleportation. So when that noise was gone, she entered the control room. It must have been really late since nobody else was there. And now, she had no clue as to where Spectra could have gone.

"_Think Alice. There must be something in this room that could help me._" She looked around the room and saw the control panel.

It was times like these that made her glad that she was a granddaughter of a scientist and it was also times like these that made her regret not bringing that teleportation card she used as Masquerade. Nonetheless, Alice went through files and she found the one she needed: The list of places that Spectra and his comrades teleported to.

She looked at the most recent one and after inputting those coordinates, she was teleported to another location.

It was a barren desert, there was nothing for miles except a few rocks and boulders. The Darkus brawler looked around for any sign of Spectra or maybe even Helios since there was going to be a brawl taking place somewhere around.

"_The brawl didn't start yet I suppose._" Alice thought.

She then decided to walk for a while. It was scary yes, but knowing that Spectra was nearby calmed her. It made her know that there was someone else around.

Alice only walked for a few minutes when she heard a voice.

And it didn't belong to Spectra. It belonged to another on of her friends.

"It's Dan!" That's when the Darkus brawler started running.

She could make out two figures now, she guessed the other figure was Spectra. Before, she came any closer, she hid behind a nearby boulder to hear what they were saying. She had to know why Spectra came to brawl Dan and not bring her along. She had a feeling she wouldn't get the answers she needed if she asked him directly.

So Alice listened in carefully.

"All right, Spectra. Where's Alice?" Dan asked.

"Why, she is in the airship. Did you want to see her?"

"Duh! I thought that was the plan."

Spectra smirked. "Now where did you get an idea like that? I only said that you should accept my challenge or she would get hurt."

Dan tightened his fists. "You Vexos jerk! Where is she? You better not hurt my friend."

"I can assure you, Dan Kuso that she is in safe hands. You see, she is very valuable to the Vexos. Can we get on with brawl now?"

"On one condition, if Drago and I win, you bring Alice back to us."

Spectra was intrigued. "And what if Helios and I win?"

"Hold it Dan!"

Both Pyrus brawlers were shocked to hear a voice familiar to both of them. Alice appeared from her hiding place and before going to Dan, she approached Spectra.

"Alice! Be careful, he's a bad guy!" Dan yelled.

"I'll be fine, Dan."

Alice frowned at Spectra. "So, you guys were just using me? You're a Vexos?"

Spectra was as calm as ever. "Actually, I'm their leader. We just needed you as leverage."

"And the gauntlet you gave me?"

"To gain your trust."

"You knew where Hydranoid is all along?"

"Yes, and if you had just stayed, we could have let you seen him in his… frozen state."

Alice couldn't take it anymore. Without a second thought, she slapped the Vexos leader on his cheek.

Spectra simply rubbed his cheek and kept his cool. "Are you done yet?"

"I really thought you were better than this. Treating Bakugan like that, it disgusts me."

Alice then turned and approached Dan. She hugged her friend.

"Are you all right Alice?" Dan asked.

Alice softened her expression. "Yes, I'm fine."

Drago appeared on Dan's shoulder. "Did they hurt you?" the bakugan asked.

"No. I'm ok."

Spectra sighed, annoyed. "If your little reunion is over, can we get the brawl over with?"

Alice stood aside and the two friends looked at the Vexos leader.

"All right, Spectra. You're going down!"

Spectra smirked. "Keep telling yourself that, Dan Kuso."

Then the brawl began.

* * *

Author's Note: That was a very emotional chap. Anyway, don't forget to review! Ok, until next chap!


	7. Another Choice

Author's Note: I know. It's been almost a year since I last updated. Sorry! But here's the next chapter :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan

* * *

Alice wanted to hold on to Dan as he brawled but knew she couldn't because Dan was too focused on the brawl. She looked at the Pyrus brawler's eyes. She had seen him look that way before. It pained her to remember when she was Masquerade and Dan had that same look when he took on Masquerade. Just like back then, Dan was determined to win and it seemed like Drago was too. Dan and Drago were the perfect team.

"Yes! Way to go Drago!" Alice heard Dan yell as Helios was just knocked back into his ball form. Alice looked at Spectra and the Vexos leader snarled as he sent Helios back into battle.

"It isn't over Dan Kuso. Helios is just getting warmed up." He said as Helios appeared once more in front of Drago.

"Really? Because Drago and I aren't even brawling seriously, right buddy?" Dan smiled at Drago.

"You bet! It seems that you've become weaker since we last met, Helios." Drago said.

Helios growled. "Spectra! I need more power!"

"Don't worry Helios." Spectra brought his gauntlet closer and Alice heard a voice say, ABILITY CARD ACTIVATED.

Helios let out a fireball from his mouth and it was aimed towards Drago. Alice closed her eyes but immediately opened them once more when she heard the voice once more say ABILITY CARD ACTIVATED. This time, it came from Dan's gauntlet. Drago flew high into the air and was able to dodge the fireball.

As Alice watched the brawl, she couldn't believe how intense it was. It seemed that Dan and Spectra were giving it their all. The same went for Drago and Helios who didn't even seem tired as they kept dodging each other's moves.

"Why don't you give up Drago? Maybe give some other Bakugan the power of the Core." Helios said as he and Drago grappled.

"And give it to who? You?" Drago asked.

"Now there's a thought." Helios was able to push Drago away and let out another fireball. This time it hit and Drago was the one who was knocked out.

Spectra smirked. "Face it, Dan. You're gonna lose and Drago will become my Bakugan."

Dan glared at the Vexos leader. "It's not over Spectra. Let's go Drago!" the Pyrus brawler said as Drago appeared once more.

"Very well, then. Let's finish this, Helios!"

As the battle went on, Alice started to feel so useless and…ignored. The two didn't even seem to notice her anymore. They were too focused on the brawl. But thankfully, it didn't last that long now. Drago was able to defeat Helios and the two Bakugan were both in their ball form again and the brawl was over.

Dan gave a smug smile as Spectra glared at him. "All right Drago! You were awesome!" Dan said as he held Drago in his hand.

"Thank you Dan. But you too were awesome." The Pyrus Bakugan said.

As the two celebrated, Spectra approached them. By then, Dan had noticed Alice and told her to get behind him.

"Don't expect that to happen again, Dan Kuso. Now, I'll be taking Alice with me." Spectra said with his hand outstretched as if waiting for Alice to take it.

"Are you crazy? We had a deal and if I won, then Alice would come back with me!" Dan said as he covered Alice.

"I don't remember ever agreeing to those terms." Spectra said as calmly as possible.

"You jerk. I should-"

"Dan that's enough." Alice said as she stepped forward and faced her friend. "Thanks for the concern. But I can handle this." She then turned around to face Spectra.

"What is it?" The Vexos leader didn't show any sign of emotion.

"I trusted you Spectra. And I trusted you too, Helios." Alice glanced at the Pyrus Bakugan on Spectra's shoulder then faced the Vexos leader once more.

"You treat Bakugan like trophies and not as friends. Like tools to make you stronger. Just like…_he _did." Alice hesitated when she remembered Masquerade but continued speaking. "But not anymore."

"I never said that I treat Bakugan like trophies. I am making Helios the strongest Bakugan ever because that's what he and I both want." Spectra said.

Alice's eyes widened. "But, you're working for the Prince so-"

"Prince Hydron is a spoiled brat who uses his title as Prince to get what he wants." Spectra interrupted. "I work for him because it allows me to travel around with Helios and become stronger. I do not care about the Prince or his objectives."

It became clearer to Alice now. "So that's why you want to beat Dan and Drago so badly. To prove that you're the strongest."

Spectra nodded his head. "But I still need you to come with me because I don't want to hear the Prince make another speech about being irresponsible. So Alice, let's go."

Dan came between them and glared at the Vexos leader. "Like I said, dude. Alice isn't going anywhere with you."

Spectra ignored Dan and continued to look at Alice. He wasn't giving up that easily. "Alice, if you come with me, I'll bring you to the tower to see Hydranoid."

Alice gasped. "Y-you will?"

Dan held Alice by her shoulders. "Alice, listen to me. This guy's already lied to you once! Don't listen to him. Come with me and you'll see Shun and Marucho again."

Drago was on Dan's shoulder and decided to speak up as well. "Dan's right, Alice. It's not safe to be with the Vexos. And we are already doing our best to save Hydranoid and the others. You should stay with us."

Alice didn't know what to do. If she stayed with Dan, what use would she be to them? She didn't have a Bakugan and after seeing the brawl earlier, she wasn't sure she could brawl like that and when the time came when her friends would depend on her in a brawl, she might lose. If she went with Spectra, there was a chance she could see Hydranoid again. But she knew that was a very small chance. Then again, Spectra didn't seem to like Prince Hydron and he might even help her. So, she made her decision.

"All right, Spectra. I'll go with you if you take me to see Hydranoid and the others."

Dan stared at his friend. "What? But Alice-"

"Please, Dan. You have to understand. Why did you come back to Vestroia? You wanted to see Drago and save the bakugan. Well I want to see Hydranoid. He's my friend." Alice gave Dan a weak smile.

Dan stood in disbelief and frowned. "Alice, you could get hurt. We care about you."

"Trust me Dan. I'll be fine." She hugged her friend, gave Drago a pat on the head then looked at Spectra.

"Are you being serious?" she asked.

Spectra smirked. "Of course, Alice. The Prince would want to see you anyway. He's in the tower as well, you see."

Alice nodded her head. "Ok then. Let's go."

Spectra grabbed Alice's arm and the two teleported away as Dan watched. Once Spectra and Alice were gone, Dan turned to look at Drago.

"You think she'll really be ok?" the Pyrus brawler asked.

"I do. She is a brawler. And I understand her need to see Hydranoid again. I'm sure Hydranoid feels the same way. Come, we should go back and tell the others."

"Yeah. We should rest up. I'm getting kind of hungry."

* * *

Spectra and Alice teleported back into the main room of the airship. "Remember our deal, Spectra." Alice said as seriously as she could.

"I shall inform the prince tomorrow. For now, get some sleep. You don't want to feel tired when you see your Bakugan again."

As Spectra walked away, Alice called him. "What you said about getting stronger, Helios wants that as well?"

Helios appeared on Spectra's shoulder. "I _AM_ STRONG. Drago is merely cheating. He has the power of the Core, which is why he wins. I must train harder and beat him once and for all."

"I see."

Spectra sighed. "Now that your question's been answered, Helios, let's go. We'll get to face Dan and Drago soon enough."

Alice then walked back to her room. She placed her gauntlet on the dresser. She frowned. It was useless if she didn't have a Bakugan, which is why if she went with Dan, she wouldn't be able to do much for them and she could end up getting in their way or slow them down. She needed Hydranoid with her; once she was in the tower, she'd have to find a way to free him and the others.

That's how she could help her friends. By freeing the Bakugan. She smiled as she plopped onto the bed. She was going to help and she didn't have to depend on her friends.

* * *

Author's Note: I needed to end the chapter there but I hope to make the next chapter longer. Don't forget to review! Until next chap!


	8. Trust

Author's Note: Trying to update more often now. Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan.

* * *

Spectra woke up early the next morning to talk to Prince Hydron via computer. He had told Alice that she would be able to get into the tower and even though he was the leader of the Vexos, he still kept his promises.

He got up and went to his desk where Helios was. Spectra was still tired from his last battle with Dan and Drago but nonetheless had other things to do. The Pyrus Brawler noticed that his Bakugan was awfully quiet so he decided not to bother him so much. Helios must also still be bothered by the fact he that was beaten by Drago…again.

"Don't worry, Helios. Victory will be ours soon enough." Spectra whispered to Helios who didn't say anything in return. After realizing that Helios was definitely not in the mood to talk, Spectra left his bakugan alone in the room and made his way to the control room.

Once Spectra stepped into the control room, he noticed all of the other Vexos were already there. Gus went forward and did a quick bow while the others just looked at their leader.

"Hey Spectra! Where were you last night?" Shadow asked while grinning. "I checked the computer and noticed that the teleportation device was activated last night."

"None of your business." Spectra said.

"Do you and Helios have secret meetings with the brawlers or something? Or maybe you guys go scouting for more bakugan to battle." Shadow started to laugh.

Spectra glared at his teammate which was enough to shut Shadow Prove up.

Mylene sighed. "You know just because you're the leader of this group doesn't mean you should do something and not tell us. But it doesn't matter now; I'm sure there will be consequences for your actions."

"You're not a psychic, Mylene so I don't really care." Spectra said. "Anyways, enough with that nonsense. Lync, establish a connection with Vestal Palace. I need to speak to our dear Prince."

Lync rolled his eyes. "Yeah ok whatever."

"Why do you need to talk to the prince?" Gus asked.

Spectra was now in front of the monitor where Prince Hydron's face would soon appear. "Our guest has requested to go to the tower where her bakugan is being held. I told her it was useless but she really wants to go."

"And you think the Prince will be able to help? Yeah right!" Volt exclaimed from behind.

The Vexos leader smirked. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Soon, Prince Hydron's image appeared on the monitor. The prince was there but something was wrong; he had dark circles around his eyes and he was yawning a lot. He didn't even bother to twirl his hair like he usually did.

"Good morning, Vexos. Why exactly did you call? I was sleeping." Prince Hydron said then yawned right after.

"I'm sorry about that." Spectra said rather coldly.

Prince Hydron, either too tired to care or simply not noticing the tone of Spectra's voice, continued. "Get on with it."

"All right then. You see, Alice Gehabich wants to see her bakugan. I told her that it is impossible but she thinks that an airship like this should be able to attack the Vestal Palace where her bakugan is being kept."

Prince Hydron did his best to stay awake and to comprehend everything Spectra was saying. "I see. So she's just as stubborn as the Resistance." The Prince paused for a while before continuing. "Very well. Wake her up and I shall talk to her. And take your time. I still need my sleep." And with that, the connection ended.

"Seems to me like we woke up Sleeping Beauty!" Shadow Prove laughed.

"Will you shut up!" Mylene exclaimed.

"Nope. Not gonna happen." Shadow replied.

Before Mylene had the chance to hit the Darkus brawler, Spectra called their attention.

"Ok then. I shall go and wake up Alice. The rest of you, there is work to be done and I don't think it'll be done if you continue to argue. Get moving!"

Mylene and Shadow ceased their argument and followed orders. Spectra was by the door when Mylene approached him.

"Hey, give this to Alice." Mylene handed Spectra a big bag.

Spectra took it and examined it. "What is this?" he asked.

"Clothes for the girl. You don't really expect her to wear the same outfit for the rest of the time she's here? Besides, I never even used those clothes. Not my style, really."

Spectra smirked. "That's very generous of you, Mylene. I must say I'm surprised. Very well then, I shall give it to her. Now get to work."

Mylene glared at him as he left the control room and made his way to Alice.

* * *

"Alice, wake up."

Alice blinked a few times then opened her eyes. She waited for her vision to clear then saw Spectra's face. The Pyrus brawler was staring at her intently. Alice sat up and was about to smile and greet him good morning but then she remembered that he had lied to her and that he was actually a bad guy.

"Why are you here?" she asked calmly.

Spectra stood up straight and chuckled. "It's pretty obvious. I came to wake you up. And now, before I take you to the control room, we must talk about, well…" he trailed off.

Alice tilted her head. "Talk about what?"

Spectra sighed before continuing. "Now that you know the truth, you're still going to have to play along, all right? If word gets out that you know about our little act, you might not be able to see Hydranoid, the Prince will want to use you to get to the Resistance and if that happens, Helios and I might not get the chance to battle Dan and Drago again. So we both lose." Spectra explained.

Alice stood up then faced the Vexos leader. "All right. I understand. I'll play along… for now, anyway."

Spectra smiled. "Good. I don't expect you to keep it up, though. I'm sure you have your own plans just as I have mine. Like I said, I don't exactly care about the prince or the other Vexos. I have more important things to do."

"You know my secret and I know yours. I guess we're even." Alice maintained a calm expression.

The Pyrus brawler shook his head. "I don't think so. If I were to get caught, I'll be able to protect myself from the other Vexos. You on the other hand, don't even have a Bakugan so you best be prepared."

Alice frowned. "…oh, right. I didn't think about that." Then she thought of something and narrowed her eyes at the Pyrus brawler. "Wait, it was _you_ who took Hydranoid in the first place! So it's your fault why I don't have a Bakugan now."

Spectra shrugged. "Had to do it; Prince's orders."

Alice folded her arms. "Then I want to have a word with Prince Hydron."

"So do I. And you just might get your chance. You'll be talking to him in the control room."

Alice widened her eyes. "What? You mean the prince is here?"

"No, the prince is not here but you'll be talking to him via computer. And it's about you wanting to go to the tower. I'll explain the details on the way."

"You mean, right now?"

Spectra sighed, irritated. "You know, you're asking a lot of questions lately."

"That's because I want to be sure you're telling me the truth this time. I still don't trust you, you know." Alice said while glaring at him.

Spectra simply smirked. "Fair enough. And to answer your question, no, I don't mean right now. I thought maybe you'd like to…" Spectra looked her up and down. "…clean yourself up first."

Alice softened her gaze then went to look at herself in the mirror by her dresser and saw that her hair was an absolute mess, her dress was covered in dust and she had also realized that she'd been wearing the same outfit for a while now.

She turned to Spectra and as much as she didn't want to, she smiled at him. "Uhm, you wouldn't happen to have any clean clothes, would you?"

The Vexos leader crossed his arms. "About time you realized you've worn that outfit for days now. Don't worry though, Mylene offered some of her clothes and she said that you could have it since it's not really her style. She also told me that it's all brand new." Spectra then placed the bag Mylene gave him on the bed. He then made his way out but stopped by the door.

"I'll give you time to get dressed. Just meet me in the control room. You know your way around by now, right?" the Pyrus brawler asked.

Alice nodded her head. "Yes. I guess I should thank you."

Spectra didn't say anything and left her alone in her room. Once he was gone, Alice opened the bag and saw everything that she would need. Thankfully, the style Mylene didn't like was the style the Alice liked. There were all sorts of dresses which made her wonder why Mylene had them in the first place even though didn't like them. Once she picked an outfit, she went into the bathroom and decided that she really needed a nice shower.

* * *

Spectra made his way to the control room and saw Gus on the way. As usual, the Subterra brawler bowed before Spectra, greeted him then walked by his leader's side.

"How is Miss Alice?" Gus asked.

"She's in her room. I told her to meet me in the control room once she's ready." Spectra replied, looking straight ahead.

"You think the Prince wants to use her as leverage now? I mean, it seems like the perfect time now that the brawlers have destroyed one of the Dimension Controllers."

"The Prince is a lot of things, but he's not stupid." Spectra paused. "Ok, he's a little stupid but I'm guessing he'll wait until the brawlers come to him and that's when he'll use Alice. No doubt the Prince will want to take their Bakugan in exchange for the girl." Spectra explained.

Gus nodded his head. Spectra seemed to get everything right and that theory of his seemed very logical. "That sounds just about right. But you have a plan too, don't you? I know you wouldn't want the Prince to get his hands on Drago."

Spectra chuckled. "Gus, I _always_ have a plan. Now then, where are the others?"

"I believe Mylene and Shadow Prove have gone out to battle the Resistance. Lync and Volt are in Beta City now making necessary preparations for when the Resistance comes." Gus said.

"Very well. Once the meeting with Prince Hydron is over, Helios and I will continue training."

"And what of Miss Alice?" Gus asked.

Spectra paused before answering. "Something tells me the Prince will want to see her in person which means she shall be teleported to the tower. But then again, i could be wrong."

"But in case you are right; should I go with her? It doesn't seem right to leave her in the tower. Especially since her bakugan is there and well…frozen. What if she sees him?"

"We'll just see what the Prince has to say and decide what to do when the time comes."

Gus nodded his head. "All right. So, I'm guessing you want me to stay in the airship and keep watch in case I am not needed?"

Spectra smirked. "Yes. Until the others come back. I don't think Mylene and Shadow Prove will have any success in their battle with the Resistance. So when they return, why don't you battle the brawlers? See how strong they are and you might just be able to get one of their Bakugan."

Gus smiled. "Thank you for the opportunity, Master Spectra. I won't let you down."

Spectra and Gus were now right outside the control room. Before they went in, they heard footsteps behind them. They turned around, expecting it to be one of the other Vexos but instead it was Alice who was all cleaned up and was wearing a new dress. It was white and she was wearing a lavender jacket that looked identical to her old one. And she also had her gauntlet with her.

Alice stopped in front of them and smiled. "Good morning Gus. Where are the others?"

"Good morning, Miss Alice. The others aren't around." Gus replied.

"Oh ok then." She turned to face Spectra. "Wait, I haven't seen Helios yet. Where is he?"

"He's resting." Spectra simply said.

Alice didn't need any more explanation. She knew that Helios was still mad over his loss against Drago. The Pyrus bakugan was probably sulking or waiting to get out and blow something up.

Alice nodded her head. "All right. So? Are we going into the control room yet?"

"Yes. Let's go." Spectra went into the control room first followed by Gus then Alice.

The Vexos leader faced Gus. "Gus, contact Prince Hydron."

"Of course." Gus then typed on the keyboard and after a while, Prince Hydron's image appeared on the monitor.

Spectra, Alice, and Gus stood in front of the monitor and the Prince smiled. He was now freshened up and didn't look sleepy at all. "Hello there, Alice. I'll get right to it, Spectra has told me that you wish to visit the tower where your Bakugan is being held."

"I would. That is, if it's all right with you." Alice replied.

"Well you see, Alice, it is impossible to get into the Vestal Palace." Hydron said.

"I know but-"

"I'll get right to the point." Hydron's tone seemed to change. He seemed irritated but he still smiled. Alice stayed quiet and waited for the prince to continue.

"Even if you wanted to go to Vestal Palace and succeed, you wouldn't be able to free your bakugan."

Alice tilted her head. "Why not?"

Hydron twirled his hair. "I suppose you have heard about the Dimension controllers." Alice nodded her head and the prince continued. "There are three of them. They must be destroyed first then you can free the bakugan being held her- I mean, in the Vestal Palace." Hydron said the last part quickly.

It didn't matter to Alice if he made a mistake, she already knew about Prince Hydron being in the Palace where the bakugan were being held anyway. Both sides were simply lying to each other.

"I understand. So that's why Dan and the others are going around and destroying these Dimension Controllers." Alice said.

"Yes, that and so that they are able to free the other bakugan from their ball forms."

"Ok. So I guess I'm staying here then."

"I'm sorry Alice. Maybe some other time." Prince Hydron's image then disappeared.

Spectra approached her. "Alice, you heard him."

Alice nodded her head. "Yeah. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. That just means we have to destroy those dimension controllers."

"But we can't. Only the Resistance can." Gus said.

Alice looked at the Subterra brawler then back to Spectra.

"Don't worry. Gus is the only one I trust on this airship. I told him everything." Spectra explained.

Alice felt better. At least that was one less person to lie to.

"So where are they now? I mean, Dan and the others?" Alice asked.

"They should be headed to Beta City since that's where the next Dimension Controller is." Gus said.

"And I'm guessing the other Vexos are there to try and stop them." Alice added.

Spectra smirked. "Yes, they can only _try_."

"Ok then. If you'll excuse me, I need some time alone." With that, Alice simply left the control room.

"Is she all right?" Gus asked.

"She's just disappointed. But the sooner the brawlers destroy the Dimension Controller, she'll be fine." Spectra then exited the control room.

"Where are you going, Master Spectra? Out to train with Helios?"

"I need to do something first." That was Spectra's reply as he left the Subterra brawler alone.

"Why does everyone here seem emo all of a sudden?" Gus asked no one in particular. Then Vulcan appeared on his shoulder.

"Maybe they didn't sleep well or something. Now come on! I need to battle or I'll go stir crazy! We haven't battled for a long time now."

Gus smiled at his partner. "Ok Vulcan. Maybe some fresh air will do us some good. Master Spectra wouldn't mind." Then the two teleported away.

Alice was staring out the big window. It was morning and all she saw was a vast desert. She knew somewhere there were bakugan in their ball form hiding from the Vexos and acting scared as the airship flew above them. It made her wonder how Hydranoid reacted when the Vestals and the Vexos first came. He must have fought against them. He wouldn't have acted scared, he never did.

"Alice."

Alice turned around and saw Spectra. She immediately turned back to see the view outside.

"What? Are you mad at me? It's not my fault the prince won't let you get into the palace."

"Did you battle him?"

Alice's question surprised him. Who was she talking about?

"What?" Spectra asked as he stood next to her, also seeing the view.

"Hydranoid. Was it you who battled him?"

"…Yes. He fought alongside Ace, the Darkus brawler of the Resistance."

"And?"

It seemed Alice's questions would never end.

"And what?"

"How was the battle?"

Spectra sighed. "To be honest with you, Hydranoid was a tough bakugan to defeat. It seemed that his skill matched even Drago's. Even Helios admitted that he had a difficult time battling Hydranoid."

Alice smiled weakly. "If he was so hard to defeat, why did he still lose?"

"Helios was simply better." Spectra replied, smirking. Then he noticed Alice frown. "…that, and he wasn't with the right partner."

Alice turned to look at the Vexos leader. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean that even though Ace specializes in Darkus bakugan, he didn't connect with Hydranoid. Which was why he seemed to struggle with which abilities to use when Helios and I battled them."

Alice nodded her head. She understood him. "So you're saying that if it was me who was with Hydranoid, we would have won against you?"

Spectra chuckled. "I'm not sure about that."

Alice giggled. Spectra didn't seem to hear her giggle like that before. It was...nice.

"When I get Hydranoid back, I want to battle you and Helios. Deal?" Alice asked and offered him a handshake.

Spectra smirked then shook her hand. "Deal."

As he looked at Alice, he couldn't believe how determined she was to get into the palace just so she could get her bakugan back. Spectra was actually excited to battle Alice once Hydranoid was back. If their connection was this strong even if they aren't together, how much stronger would it be once Alice and Hydranoid saw each other?

"Spectra, you can let go of my hand now." Alice's voice snapped Spectra out of his thoughts.

Spectra let go of her hand. "Oh, right. Well, I'll go get Helios now."

"You're going to go out and train with him, right?" Alice asked.

"Yes. As for you, I want you to remain in the airship."

"No way."

Spectra sighed. "Why not?"

Alice crossed her arms. "I'm gonna go with you and Helios. If you can't bring me to the Vestal Palace, you can at least take me out of the airship once in a while." Alice didn't want to stay in some airship. She was in New Vestroia! She should at least get out and see some more bakugan. And even though she didn't like Spectra that much, she was going to need him.

"Fine. But don't expect me to help you out if a bakugan decides to attack you."

Alice hesitated but answered anyway. "All right."

"Come with me. Let's go get Helios."

The two then walked towards Spectra's room.

"How is Helios?" Alice asked.

"Last I saw him, he wouldn't even talk to me. I need him to talk to me so I'll know what kind of training he needs." Spectra replied.

"Oh… can I try talking to him?"

Spectra chuckled. "You can try but I doubt you can do anything. Lync tried once but Helios got so mad that Lync started crying." Spectra continued chuckling after remembering that event. Helios said something about how Lync would never get taller and that his voice was high enough to scare bakugan away.

Once they entered, Helios was still on top of the desk. He didn't even move. Spectra motioned for Alice to go forward and talk to Helios.

Alice gulped then approached the Pyrus bakugan.

* * *

Author's Note: Ok, veeeerry long chapter XD in the next chapter, we'll get to hear from the brawlers and finally, Runo and Julie! Ok, until then!


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